Category Archives: Places

Teddy Bear Fountain, Berkeley

Posted on May 5, 2013 by

I was excited to sketch Berkeley’s 100-year-old Teddy Bear Fountain again. We found the perfect viewpoint, I sat down on the carved stone bench, pulled out my pen, opened my bag and discovered I’d forgotten my sketchbook! DUH! Fortunately Cristina … Continue reading →

Posted in Berkeley, Blind Contour, Ink and watercolor wash, Landscape, Outdoors/Landscape, Watercolor | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

El Volado, The Mexican Bus; plus 3 Museums in 1 day: Rembrandt, Vermeer and Wiley

Posted on April 26, 2013 by

There’s a non-residential street a couple blocks from my house where this bus and its two colorful sisters are often parked. I sat on the corner and sketched my favorite, named “El Volado, The Mexican Bus” (as is written on … Continue reading →

Posted in artists, Ink and watercolor wash, San Francisco, Sketchbook Pages | Tagged , , | 5 Comments

Earth Day Sketchcrawl in Healdsburg

Posted on April 21, 2013 by

Our sketch group traveled up to the wine country for a sketchcrawl in Healdsburg. We discovered an Earth Day festival setting up in the town square, complete with Mother Earth, above. Covered in flowers and pink and green gauzy fabric, … Continue reading →

Posted in Building, Healdsburg, Ink and watercolor wash, Outdoors/Landscape, Pen and Ink, Places, Sketchbook Pages | Tagged , , , , , | 7 Comments

Codex Book Fair at Craneway Pavillion

Posted on April 7, 2013 by

I attended the Codex Book Fair at Craneway Pavillion (a former car factory, now an event space) in Richmond with some friends from S.F. Sketchers on a gorgeous, sunny day. The fair is an annual event where book artists and … Continue reading →

Posted in artists, Building, Ink and watercolor wash, Landscape, Outdoors/Landscape, Places, Richmond, Sketchbook Pages | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments

The Pub on Solano: A Cozy Spot to Sketch

Posted on April 4, 2013 by

The Pub on Solano near the border of Albany and Berkeley is a hidden-away, cozy place to sketch, play chess, or chat with friends or friendly strangers while sipping espresso, beer or wine and hang out as long as you … Continue reading →

Posted in Albany, Ink and watercolor wash, Interiors, People | Tagged , , , , | 6 Comments

Crazy Chicks at Poulet: A Poultry Panorama

Posted on March 6, 2013 by

The night we sketched at Poulet, a mostly chicken café in north Berkeley, I was feeling out of practice with drawing. So instead of trying to sketch the architecture or people I just drew their collection of chickens displayed on … Continue reading →

Posted in Berkeley, Chickens, Ink and watercolor wash, Sketchbook Pages | Tagged , , , , , | 10 Comments

Electric Owls and Giant Rats: Pest Control at Pastime

Posted on March 2, 2013 by

When we made our annual sketching pilgrimage to Pastime Hardware on a cold winter evening I picked the Pest Control department. I was attracted by the big, ugly, inflated hanging rat and the artificial owls who seemed to be discussing … Continue reading →

Posted in Birds, El Cerrito, Ink and watercolor wash, Life in general, Rat, Sketchbook Pages, Urban Sketchers | Tagged , , , | 6 Comments

Mira Vista Country Club Golfcarts

Posted on February 25, 2013 by

My plein air group held our annual season kick-off meeting at the Mira Vista Country Club on Saturday where one of our painters has a membership. Afterwards, I sat on a bench in the sun and sketched the clubhouse, putting … Continue reading →

Posted in Building, El Cerrito, Ink and watercolor wash, Landscape, Outdoors/Landscape, Sketchbook Pages | Tagged , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Pork Bung Gut (?) at 99 Ranch Market

Posted on February 21, 2013 by

We made our annual pre-Chinese New Year sketching visit to 99 Ranch Market and the Pacific East Mall (an Asian marketplace) with some new sketchers who joined us for our  monthly Urban Sketchers First Tuesdays sketch night. I headed first … Continue reading →

Posted in Fish, Food sketch, Ink and watercolor wash, People, Richmond, Sketchbook Pages | Tagged , , | 6 Comments

Pyramid Plates and Brew

Posted on February 17, 2013 by

Before being seated at Pyramid Brewery in Berkeley some of us went upstairs to sketch. I enjoyed the perspective challenge of drawing these guys below me, sitting and standing with their pitcher of beer. The menu recommended their Apricot Ale … Continue reading →

Posted in Berkeley, Ink and watercolor wash, Interiors, Pen and Ink, Sketchbook Pages | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Tickle Your Tastebuds: Gaumenkitzel

Posted on February 14, 2013 by

When we visited Berkeley’s very colorful Gaumenkitzel Restaurant, they offered us a large “community” table where we could sketch and snack all evening. After most of the other customers had left, one sketcher pulled her chair right up to the pastry … Continue reading →

Posted in Berkeley, Drawing, Food sketch, Ink and watercolor wash, Interiors, Pen and Ink, Sketchbook Pages | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

Shadelands Ranch Museum Sketches

Posted on February 7, 2013 by

While I was in Walnut Creek to take photos of an industrial park for a painting commission I stopped at the Shadelands Ranch Museum to sketch. They were hosting a ladies’ tea that afternoon in the downstairs drawing rooms that … Continue reading →

Posted in Building, Drawing, Ink and watercolor wash, Sketchbook Pages, Walnut Creek | Tagged , , , | 7 Comments